Fluid operated pumping mechanism



Dec, 6, 1949 V- O. POUNDS FLUID OPERATED PUMPING MECHANISM Filed 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 62 Found;

Dec, 6, 1949 v, 5, POUNDS 2349mm FLUID OPERATED PUMPING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Ves/er 0 Fauna:

ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 6, 1949 v v, 0. POUNDS 2,490,323

FLUID OPERATED PUMPING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 8, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 z? 7 /0' 2 3! l 2? 2* A INVENTOR Vesfer 0 Pounds,

BY Jfifiwmiwdm ATTORN EYS Patented Dec. 6, 1949 :FLUID OPERATED PUMPING MECHANISM Vester.0..Pounds, Kansas City, Mo., assignor tov Jay W. 'Scovel, Independence, Kans, trustee ApplicationDecember 8, 1945, SerialNo. 6313 890- 4 Claims.

more particularly .to improvements in a combination air and hydraulic pump jack for; use in connection with oil or other wells.

Heretofore with pumping jacks of this and similar nature, therehas been-a tendency for the devices :to cause a.:J',erk or pound on the line, particularly at the end of the-downstroke caused by slack in the rods, and then at the start of the upstroke -there;;-has beena tendency to jerk the :rods, very oftensnapping them in two, causing great delay. in fishing operations.

It is, therefore, the principal objects of the present invention to eliminate jerk in the .string of'rods attached to thepumpingjack; to provide means for combining air and oil for the operation of the jack; to provide means whereby greater lifting force may be createdby the jack; to provide for automatic operation of the jack; and to provide a devicepsimple and economical to manufacture and efiicient in operation.

In accomplishing these and other objectsof the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, thepreferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings features of my invention comprising a base 2 of concrete or other suitablematerial for supportingja frame 3 supported on legs 4 positioned at each corner of the frame and; havingtheir bottom ends flanged andsupported by the concrete base}. The frame 3 comprises aplate. :5 for supporting several units of the device .asthey are assembled together, as will; present ly be shown.

Located upon the plate 5 isa power unit preferably consisting of an electric motor 6. Adjacent the motor 6 and driven-thereby is an air compressor 1. Also located on the plate 5 adjacentthe motor is a tank8 adapted to .contain oil or the like 9. Supported bythe tank-8 is a tank Hl-ofsomewha la ser si ean h n This inventionrelates to-aylifting device, and 8 and-adapted-to contain compressed. air, from the air-compressor for -.a purpose. later described.

Located substantially on: a, level with the bottom of the tank lll and toone-side thereof is an air actuatedoperating valve l'l and located above the-valve II is acontrolwalve :12.

A line I3 is connected to one side of, the tank It]. asindicated at 14, andits opposite, end to thelower portion of the operatingvalve I LasindicatedatJB.

A line 16 is connected to one side, of the valve linear the bottomthereof and its opposite end connected near. the topof the oil .tank- 8.

An air expansion tank I! is;-supported..on the plated substantially below thev operating valve ll and a line I;8..has one end connected, near the central portion of the operating valve H as indicated at Y I9 and its opposite, end. connected tothe air expansiontank ll;-as,indicated at 20. A line 2 I is connected to the Oppositeside of the tankll and hasfitsopposite. end connected to thepair intake ofthe, compressor 1. Aline 22, leads from the air. discharge. of thecompressor I and is connected-to the, compressedair tank to as indicated,at 2.3.

The air prressure tank IB-.;is..provided. with an air pressuregauge 24. .toindicate the amount. of pressure in thetank. Connected tothe coupling 25 of the .connectionfor the gaugeid is ailine 26 which leads, to, thegcontrol valve, l2 through whichv air. may; pass. between, the. tank and the valve. Connected to the lower side of the con-. trolvalveli is..a line.-2| which leads-to the bottom of the operating valve .H as. indicated at 28. A line 29.. is connected to ,the top of the control v alve l2 .which;..leads. to the topof the operatin valve Ll. The control valve I2 is .pro vided with an .operatinglever 3D actuated by. a 1 0d; 3|. and stopsp iiz and 3.3, aswill later .be.-,de-. scribed.

Located. adlacentthesoperatin yalye. I .l and air tank I], is a hydraulic cylinder ,34 supported on a, base 5:15 carried-by the plate ,5. and which provides .a .closurejfor the bottom of the. hydraulic cylinder .34. .The concreteabase .2. has an open- 11 which passesa well .tubing-..36..in which are reciprocated pump 110115.31.andwhichiextend up-. Wardly through theframe .3, platev 5 and base 35. of. the cylinder 34..as will later be shown.

The plate 5 of the-frame is..provided with an opening through which the rods 31 extend and the base. plate35. 0f. the. cylinder .34 .is.also provided with anopening adapted to seata tube. 38 concentrically positioned in thecylinder 34 and extendingpfromthe1 top to the bottom thereof to permit passage of the pump;rods-31 therethrough,

Positioned around the tube 38 and within the cylinder 34 also concentrically therewith is a second tubular element 39 which is slidable up and down in the cylinder 34. The cylinder 34 has a cap 49 provided with an upstanding cylindrical flange 4i having a central opening 42 so that the tube 39 may slide freely therein. The lower end of the tubular element 39 is provided with a piston head 43 comprising pump leathers or the like 44 which act as a piston in the cylinder 34. The upper end of the tube 38 is also provided with a head 45 composed of pump leathers or the like 46 bearing against the inside surface or wall of the tube 39 to prevent the passage of liquid in the upper end of the tube 38.

Supported on the top of the tubular element 39 is a cross bar or plate 41 which carries a pump.

rod clamp 48 for clamping on the pump rod 3'! for raising and lowering the pump rod with the up and down movement of the tubular element 39 and cross bar 41 as will later be described.

Positioned on opposite sides of the cylinder 34 are air compressor cylinders 49 and 59 arranged parallel to the cylinder 34 and supported by the base element 35. The base element 35 is provided with openings 5| (Fig. 2) and with upstanding bosses 52 providing a seat for the cylinders 49 and 59. The upper end of the openings 5| in the base 35 seating the cylinders 49 and 50 is provided with a recess adapted to receive balls 53 substantially on the center axis of the cylinders to form a checked air intake for the cylinders 49 and 59.

The cylinders 49 and 59 are provided with piston rods 54 provided on their lower ends with pump leathers or the like 55 adapted to engage and slide against the inner walls of the cylinders 49 and 59 as the piston rods travel up and down therein. The ends of the cross bar 41 are provided with openings adapted to receive the upper ends of the piston rods 54 and are rigidly held thereto by nuts 5E-5'| and 5859 respectively. The upper end of the cylinder 34 is provided with an outwardly extending flange element 69 and secured to the cap 49 by bolts 6|, the

outer ends of the flange element providing arms 62 having openings through which the upper ends of the cylinders 49 and 59 pass to provide a support for the cylinders. The upper ends of the cylinders 49 and 59 are provided with conventional heads 63.

Secured to the upper side of the cross bar 41 by a nut 58 on the piston rods 54 and rigidly held thereto is a supporting bar 64 having an opening adapted to receive the upper threaded end of the actuating rod 3!. The actuating rod 3| is rigidly secured to the bar 64 by nuts 65 and 66 positioned respectively on each side of the bar The operating lever 39 is secured to the cylinder 59 by a clamp 91 (Fig. 2). The operating lever 39 has a transverse arm 68 having an opening through which the rod 3| passes. Coil springs 69 and 19 are positioned on the rod 3! which engage against the stops 32 and 33 respectively for a purpose later described.

The cylinders 49 and 59 are connected preferably near their lower ends with a line H (Fig. 4), said lines communicating with the interior of the cylinders through ports H. The line II also connects with a line 12 which connects with the air pressure tank H] as indicated at 13. The line 12 is provided with a check valve 14 (Fig. 4) to permit the flow of air only from the cylinders 49 and 59 to the air pressure tank l9. Running from the oil tank 8 and attached preferably at the bottom thereof is a line 15 which connects to the bottom of the cylinder 34 through an opening in the plate 5 and base 35 of the cylinder as indicated at 16 (Fig. 1). The line 15 is provided with a cut-ofi valve 11.

The operating valve II comprises a housing (8 having a piston 19 slidable therein. One side of the housing is provided with openings 89 and 8| connecting with the lines l9 and I6 respectively, the line It leading to the air tank I! and the line I6 leading to the oil tank 8. The opposite side of the housing is provided with an opening 82 connecting with the line I3 leading to the side of the air tank l9 near the top as indicated at I 4 (Fig. 1) The piston 19 is provided with spaced lands 83, 84 and 85 providing grooves 85 and 81 therebetween. The top of the operating valve I I is provided with a screw threaded cap 88 having a central opening 99. The cap 88 is provided with a boss having a screw threaded stem adapted to receive a collar 9| on the end of the pipe 29 for attaching the pipe to the operating valve. The control valve I2 is of the usual four-way type having connections with lines 21 and 29 leading to the operating valve, a line 26 leading to the air tank 19, and an opening 92 to atmosphere as shown in Fig. 6.

Operation of a device constructed and assembled as described is as follows.

Liquid, preferably oil, is placed in the tank 8 and the motor energized to operate the compressor 1 to create a pressure of air in the air pressure tank 19. The operating valve II is adjusted so that the pipe lines l3 and it are connected through the respective openings 8| and 92 by reason of the piston 19 being raised as shown in its position in Fig. 5. The air pressure is passed from the tank 19 through lines I9 and [5 so that air will pass between the lands 84 and 85 through the operating valve, and be discharged into the liquid tank above the liquid to create a pressure on the liquid. The valve 11 in the line 15 leading from the bottom of the liquid tank is then opened so that the oil under pressure will flow through the line 15 into the bottom of the cylinder 34 th'roughthe opening 16. The liquid will act on the piston head 43 to raise the tubular element 39 in the cylinder 34 which in turn raises the cross bar 41, thereby raising the pump rods 31. The piston rods 54 in the cylinders 49 and 59 being attached at their upper ends to the cross arm 41 will be raised simultaneously with the tubular element 39 whereupon the pump (not shown) in the well is actuated to deliver liquid from the well and discharge it up through the tube 36 where it may be passed out through dis charge pipe 93. The tubing 36 is provided beneath the frame 3 with the conventional stufiing box 94.

As the piston heads 55 in the cylinders 49 and 59 are raised upwardly in the cylinders, air is drawn into the cylinders 49 and 59 through the check valves comprising the balls 53 seated in the bottom of the cylinders 49 and 59, the vacuum created by the raising of the piston heads 55 in the cylinders 49 and 59 raising the balls from their seats so the air will be admitted to the cylinders. As the cross bar 41 moves upwardly, the stop 33 through spring 19 will engage and move the control valve lever 39 to its upward position whereby air passes from the air pressure tank l9 through lines 26 and 29 to operate the operating valve H. The piston 19 in the operating valve II will be lowered and the land 84 will sprang-82's .5 engageover the-opening 82in the line 13. The openings 80 and Skin the lines it and 18 will be opened so that :flowofair through the pipe lines l3 .and'-|6"is stoppedand'the'airinthe oil tank 8 will flow'from the tank through the pipe lines It and IBVinto'the expansion air tank I? from which-tank'the' air passes through the line 2! to the intake of the-air compressor 1 to be returned tothe pressure tank It.

When the air pressure is released from the oil'tank 8, the load of the pump rods-3T will pull the-tubular element'39 downwardly in the cylinder34and move theoil therein back through the pipe line I5 into the -oil'tank"8. As the tubular element 39, cross bar 41 and piston heads 55 move downwardlmthe balls 53 seat to'close" the openings 5 I. During downward movementof the piston heads F55 the .airinthecylinders 69 and 50 will be under pressure and is forced from the cylinders 49and 50 through line H, checkvalve 14 and line 12 into the air pressure tank [0.

Uponcompletion of the downstroke ofothe piston, rods '54 in'the cylinders 49 and 58 respectively,thejstop 32 on the rod 3! will engage and rock the control valvelever' 39 to its downward position, causing air from the air pressure tank I!) toiflow throughthe pipe lines 26 and 27 and movexthe piston -l9 in'the operating valve ll so that'the air pressure will again fiow from the air pressure tank'lllthrough the pipe lines l3 and I6. The lands of the piston Z9 will be in the position shown in Fig. 5 so that the openings 8| and. 82 will allow the air to flow through pipe Hi to the top of the oil tank 8 to force the oil therefrom through the pipe line into the hydraulic cylinder 34 as previously described. This cycle of operation is repeated from time to time to carry on the process of pumping.

The pressure gauge 24 connected to the side of the tank It and to pipe 26 may be utilized to regulate control of the air pressure in the tank H].

The air pressure in the cylinders 49 and 50 will tend to aid in raising of the main piston consisting of the tubular element 39 and the cylinder 34 and will act as a retarder or will have a cushioning efiect on the downstroke of the rods in the well to eliminate any jerk on the rods when the device is ready for the next upstroke of the rods.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided improved lifting structure, and particularly for the pumping of oil or other wells, by the use of a combination of air and hydraulic means whereby a smooth and operating structure is provided.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A lifting device adapted to be attached to a string of rods in a well hole comprising, air and liquid storage tanks, said liquid storage tank having liquid therein, means for supplying air to said air storage tank, a main cylinder adjacent said tank and located over the well hole, a piston in said cylinder, means for attaching said rods to said piston, an air cylinder located on each side and extending parallel with the main cylinder, pistons in said air cylinders, means connecting the piston in said main cylinder to the pistons in said air cylinders, means for delivering air from the air storage tank to the liquid storage tank, means for delivering liquid from the liquid tank to the lower end of said main cylinder to raise said piston, said rods, and the pistons in the air cylinders, means actuated by the movement or the pistons intheair cylinder for controlling passageof'air' to and from said aircylindera-a valve actuated-by the-air from the air'storage tank' for "controlling-flow ofair to said liquid tank, a control-valveforcontrolling the air to said air actuated valve; a lever connected to said control -valve;a rod extending parallel with one of said-aircylinders,=and means on said rod for engaging the lever on said control valve for raising and'lowering of said rods in said well for contrdll'ingflow ofair-to said air actuated operating valve.

2. A'li'fting device-adapted to be attached to a string of rods in a-well hole comprising, air and liquid storage tanks, said liquid storage tank -havin'g 'liquidtherein, means for supplying air to said'air-storage' tank, a main cylinder adjacent said tank and locatedover'the well hole, a piston insai'd cylinder, means'for attaching said rods to'said pistonyan air cylinder located on each side andiextendingparallel with the main cylinder, pistons in said air-cylinders; means connecting'the piston 'in said main cylinderto the pistons insaid aircylindenfmeans on said main cylinder engaging the air cylinders to support the same, means for delivering air to the air storage tank, means for delivering air from the air storage tank totthe' liquid storage tank',means for delivering liquid from" the liquid tank to the'lower end of said main'cylinder'to raise-said piston, said rods, andthe pistonsin theaircylinders, means in-' cluding check valves in said air cylinders for passage of air from the atmosphere to said air cylinders upon raising of said pistons, the air in the air cylinders cushioning the forces acting on the rods, a valve actuated by the air from the air storage tank for controlling flow of air to said liquid tank, a control valve for controlling the air to said air actuated valve, a lever connected to said control valve, a rod extending parallel with one of said air cylinders, and means on said rod for engaging the lever on said control valve for controlling flow of air to said air actuated valve.

3. A lifting device adapted to be attached to a string of rods in a well hole comprising, air and liquid storage tanks, said liquid storage tank having liquid therein, means for supplying air to said air storage tank, a main cylinder adjacent said tank and located over the well hole, a piston in said cylinder, means for attaching said rods to said piston, an air cylinder located on each side and extending parallel with the main cylinder, pistons in said air cylinders, valves controlling flow of air to and from the air cylinders, means connecting the piston in said main cylinder to the pistons in said air cylinders, means on said main cylinder engaging the air cylinders to support the same, means for delivering air to the air storage tank, means for delivering air from the air storage tank to the liquid storage tank, means for delivering liquid from the liquid tank to the lower end of said main cylinder to raise said piston, said rods, and the pistons in said air cylinders, the raising of the pistons in the air cylinders eiiecting drawing of air from the atmosphere into said air cylinders, a valve actuated by the air from the air storage tank for controlling flow of air to said liquid tank, a control valve for controlling the air to said air actuated valve, a lever connected to said control valve, a rod extending parallel with one of said air cylinders, means on said rod for engaging the lever on said control valve for controlling flow of air to said air actuated valve,

and means including an air expansion tank for delivering air from the liquid storage tank to the means for supplying air to said air storage tank.

4. A lifting device adapted to be attached to :a string of rods in a well hole comprising, air and liquid storage tanks, said liquid storage tank having liquid therein, means for supplying air to said air storage tank, a main cylinder adjacent said tank and located over the well hole, a piston in said cylinder, means for attaching said rods to said piston, an air cylinder located on each side and extending parallel with the main cylinder, pistons in said air cylinders, ball valves in the lower end of said air cylinders, a line connecting the lower end of the air cylinders with the air storage tank and providing communication therebetween, means connecting the piston in said main cylinder to the pistons in said air cylinders, means on said main cylinder engaging the air cylinders to support the same, means for delivering air to the air storage tank, means for delivering air from the air storage tank to the liquid storage tank, means for delivering liquid from the liquid tank to the lower end of said main cylinder to raise said piston, said rods, and the pistons in the air cylinders, the raising of the pistons in the air cylinders effecting unseating of the ball valves and drawing of air from the atmosphere into the air cylinders, a valve actuated by the air from the air storage tank for controlling flow of air to said liquid tank, a

control valve for controlling the air to said air actuated valve, a lever connected to said control valve, a rod extending parallel with one of said air cylinders, means on said rod for engaging the lever on said control valve for controlling flow of air to said air actuated valve, and means including an air expansion tank for delivering air from the upper portion of the liquid storage tank to the means for supplying air to said air storage I tank, passage of air from the liquid storage tank to said means for supplying air to said air storage tank being controlled by the air actuated valve.

VESTER O. POUNDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

